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10:17am

Kentuckians at War

Medal of Honor Recipient’s Actions Questioned

An investigation by the McClatchy news organization casts some doubts on the official account of Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer’s actions. Meyer, a Kentuckian, received the medal for actions in Afghanistan in 2009. The official account of the Marine’s story describes how he ran into enemy fire to retrieve his fallen colleagues and Afghan fighters. It tells of him leaping from his vehicle’s gun turret and killing at least eight insurgents.

The McClatchy investigation shows that sworn statements in the Marines still tell of Meyer’s bravery. However, they also say Meyer stayed in his vehicle, saved fewer soldiers and killed possibly one combatant.

The Marines have altered the attribution on the published narrative of Meyer’s actions to reflect other sources than sworn testimonies. The White House says it stands by the Marines’ account and will not take any action regarding Meyer’s award.